The Importance of Follow-Up in Healthcare Sales
Follow-up is a vital strategy in the healthcare sales industry. It's the art of maintaining contact with potential patients after the first point of contact, whether it's an initial consultation or an online interaction.
In this article, we'll explore what follow-up is, how to adapt strategies to deal with patients who didn't initially convert, and share best practices and examples for improving healthcare sales conversions.
What is Follow-Up?
Follow-up, in healthcare sales, is the process of maintaining consistent communication with potential patients after the first contact. It can be done through phone calls, emails, text messages or even interactions on social media. The goal is to maintain the potential patient's interest, answer additional questions, overcome objections, and ultimately convert the lead into a patient.
Adapted Strategies for Non-Conversions
Not all patients are ready to convert on the first interaction. To deal with this, it is crucial to adapt your follow-up strategies. Start by understanding the reason for non-conversion. It could be a lack of information, unresolved objections or simply the patient not being ready. Personalize your follow-up messages according to these reasons and offer specific solutions.
Best Practices in Follow-Up
Be Consistent : Establish a consistent follow-up schedule so the potential patient knows when to expect your next contact.
Provide Value : In each follow-up interaction, provide useful information about the healthcare services you offer. Educate the patient about the benefits of choosing your clinic.
Personalize Messages : Avoid generic responses. Use the patient's name and reference past interactions to show you care.
Be Sensitive to Time : Do not pressure the patient. Leave space for them to make decisions on their own time.
Follow-Up Examples
After an initial consultation, send an email thanking them for their time and highlighting the main benefits of the proposed treatment.
If a patient has expressed financial concerns, send a follow-up offering flexible payment options.
After providing information about a procedure, follow up with a call to answer questions and offer a follow-up appointment.
Effective healthcare sales follow-up not only increases conversions, but also builds strong relationships with patients. Remember that each patient is unique and may need different approaches. Keep empathy and patience as core principles in your follow-up strategies and you will see an increase in conversions and patient satisfaction.
For more information about our work and how we can help your clinic or practice, get in touch!
Senior Management and Marketing Consulting
Reference in management of companies in the healthcare sector
+55 11 3254-7451